Matthew 1:18-25: The Miraculous Birth of the King
Introduction
Brandon Lake opens up about a deeply personal story in his new song, “Miracle Child.” This autobiographical track draws inspiration from his mother’s journey through recurring pregnancy loss before giving birth to Lake and his two siblings. Despite the pain and heartbreak, his mother chose to trust God’s timing and hold on to faith in His greater plan for her life and the lives of her future children.
“I’m thankful my mom trusted God and persevered, because of that I am alive. My parents experienced six miscarriages, and that’s why I can say confidently today that I am a ‘miracle child,’” … “I wrote this song from that place. I pray it gives you faith to know that nothing is impossible for God.”
“I shouldn’t be alive,” the Brandon sings on the captivating first line. “My future was six feet under.”
The first verse celebrates Lake’s miraculous birth and his mother’s answered prayers through her three rainbow babies. The second verse deepens the message, highlighting that, by all human reasoning, Jesus shouldn’t have been alive either. Yet, through His divine power, He rose from the grave and now lives within us.
While Brandon’s birth required his mother’s patience and trust in God’s timing to intervene, God chose to intervene and answer her prayer according to His plans and purposes for His glory, Lake’s mother’s good, and the benefit of countless others. God is using him to stir His people’s hearts to worship Him through song after song and point those far from Him to Him by using lyrics like this from the song Miracle Child.
Death, where is your sting?
‘Cause my Savior’s word is final
I am resurrected
Blood-protected
I am a miracle child
Oh, death, where is your sting?
My Savior’s word is final
I am resurrected
Blood-protected
I am a miracle child
I’ve been crucified
Raised with Christ
I am a miracle child
Even more miraculous than Brandon and his brothers’ births is the miraculous birth of those who call on the name of Jesus for rescue from their sins! Yet, the miracle of being birthed into God’s family is only possible because of the miraculous birth of the King, Jesus. What about Jesus’ birth makes our spiritual birth into God’s family possible? Matthew explains why Jesus’ birth is miraculous and different from all other births, period. By pointing to the uniqueness of Jesus’ birth, he once again tries to convince all who would hear or read his words to confess, like Peter and the others, that Jesus “is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).”
The Miraculous Birth of the King (1:18-25)
The King’s birth Included a Miraculous Conception (1:18-20)
Matthew begins this new section by reiterating that Jesus is the long-awaited and promised Messiah (1:18). The gospel writer has provided evidence for Jesus being the legal heir to David’s throne through Joseph and a descendant of Abraham (1:1-17), both family relations non-negotiable requirements for the Anointed One in the Jewish Scriptures (Genesis 12:1-3; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Matthew 1:2, 6). As he focuses on relating the narrative of Jesus’ birth to his peers, Matthew now shows how Jesus’ birth fulfilled more Messianic prophecies.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, was engaged to be married to Joseph (1:18). During those times, this engagement or betrothal period was legally more binding than our practice of engagements today. An engaged couple like Mary and Joseph were legally bound to one another. The only thing left to do to finalize the marriage was for Mary to go into Joseph’s home and physically consummate it and for them to live together afterwards. The engagement usually took place a year before the events just described occurred to make the marriage official. Mary becomes pregnant during the time between the betrothal period beginning and before it is consummated.
While the Bible contains many stories of miraculous births. However, Jesus’ birth is unique in the sense of him being conceived in a supernatural way instead of the natural way. Matthew has already hinted to the specialness of Jesus’ birth. In recording Jesus’ family tree, he uses the common phrase, “X was the father of Y,” or in other translations, “X begat Y.” He uses this grammatical formula until he arrives at 1:16 where instead of saying, “Joseph was the father of Jesus,” he states that “Joseph was the husband of Mary, Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.” In a line of natural births, Matthew alludes there being something different about the birth of the Christ.
In verses 18-20, Matthew explains why he breaks from using “X was the father of Y” when coming to the birth of Jesus. We learn from this passage and Mary’s encounter with Gabriel in Luke 2 that Mary becomes pregnant without having sexual relations with a man. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered over the face of the waters in creation (Genesis 1:2), He prepared a body for God the Son inside of Mary’s womb (Hebrews 10:5).
We will look at Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah’s being born of a virgin later, but there is one other passage that foretold an unusual birth for the Messiah early on. This messianic forecast is found in the book of Genesis. Immediately after the fall of humanity into sin, we see a promise made to Satan.
Genesis 3:15
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
This verse is God’s first promise of redemption found in the pages of Scripture. Theologians refer to this verse as the Protoevangelium, the first gospel proclamation. The LORD promises that a male offspring (note “he”) of the woman would conquer the evil one and restore what humanity forfeited in the garden. The Hebrew word for “offspring” is zera, sometimes translated as “seed.” Biblical writers use the word to describe the male’s contribution to conception and not a woman’s. Yet, God says that a “seed” of the woman would produce a deliverer of humanity, not a man’s seed.
This ancient promise is fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. While Matthew does not elaborate on its significance, believers often interpret the virginal conception as the means by which Jesus could embody both full divinity and full humanity. Jesus’ father, through the work of the Holy Spirit, was God, while his mother was Mary, a fully human woman.
The King’s Birth Included a Miraculous Mission (1:21)
This child, miraculous conceived has a miraculous mission. The angel explained the supernatural way Mary had become pregnant and then gave further instructions for Joseph to follow as the legal father of Jesus. Joseph was to name the boy Jesus. Jesus is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew name Joshua. In either language, the name means “God is deliverance” or “Yahweh is salvation.” Through His person and His work, Jesus would save His people from their sins. Verse twenty-one clearly explains Jesus’ mission!
Matthew 1:21 is the first time that “sin” is used in the New Testament. The word that the angel uses for “sin” is hamartia, which means “failure to hit the mark.” The word refers to our inability as human beings to consistently, perfectly hit the mark of obedience to God’s law 100% of the time in heart and deed. What’s so extraordinary about Jesus’ mission? Simply put no one had been able to throw off the power and penalty of sin prior to or since His birth. We as humans are rebellious sinners to the core, yet Jesus’ miraculous conception made Him unique for His miraculous mission.
As a result of the virgin birth, Jesus was both God and man. His Father was God (Deity) and his mother was Mary (human). The miraculous conception made possible the uniting of full deity and humanity in one person. Jesus’ unique make-up made Him the only possible Savior of man from their inability to keep a Holy God’s commands perfectly.
Why Is It Important That Jesus Be Fully Human?
Jesus had to be fully human to be able to represent us before God. Adam served as our representative in the Garden of Eden and through his disobedience God counted all humanity guilty too. Yet, the good news is that Jesus was our obedient representative and obeyed for us where Adam and Eve failed. There are similarities between Jesus’ temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13) and the testing of Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:1-24). Jesus succeeded in the wilderness where our first parents failed in paradise and as a result we are made righteous (Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:45, 47). Jesus had to fully man in order to be our representative and die in our place.
Secondly, Jesus had to be fully human so He could die in our place and pay the penalty we rightfully owed. Hebrews 2:16-17 says,
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
Jesus had to become man because He came to save people, not angels or another aspect of His creation. To offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of people He had to become like us in every way. If Jesus was anything but fully man, He could not have been a substitute sacrifice for us.
Why Is It Important That Jesus Be Fully God?
The Bible teaches that Christ is fully divine (Matthew 1:23; John 10:33; Colossians 1:19; 2:9). Jesus not only had to be fully human but also fully God to be able to save His people from their sins. Why did Christ have to be fully God?
- Only someone who is infinite God could carry and cover the full penalty for the sins of all who would believe in Him. No finite creature could have been capable of accomplishing such a feat. Also no other could they grant forgiveness for sin that ultimately goes against God, for the one wrong is the only one who can absorb the cost of the trespass against them and release the one who wronged them (Leviticus 6:2-7; 2 Samuel 12:13-14; Psalm 51:4; Luke 5:21; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
- Jonah 2:9 tells us thats salvation is from the Lord. The metanarrative of Scripture teaches us that no human being or animal could ever save people; only God (Hebrews 10:5-14).
- Only someone who was truly and fully God (and man) could be the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
In summary, only as human could Jesus die in our place and only as God could He fulfill God’s law perfectly causing Him to be the perfect once and all sacrifice for all humanity sins.
The King’s Birth Included a Miraculous Fulfillment of Prophecy (1:22-25; focus on 1:23a)
Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14, in 1:23, connecting it to the prophet’s virgin birth prophecy. Verse fourteen marks the first of ten instances in Matthew’s Gospel where he uses this formula to highlight Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew emphasizes that God fulfills His promises throughout his gospel, underscoring God’s faithfulness to His Word as he tries to help his fellow Jews to see Jesus as the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies.
However, the interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 raises questions. The prophecy reads,
All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
This declaration delivered approximately seven centuries before Jesus’ birth, occurred during a critical moment in Israel’s history. King Ahaz, a descendant of David (Matthew 1:9), faced threats from foreign nations. Instead of turning to God for deliverance, Ahaz sought aid from the Assyrian king. In response, Isaiah proclaimed that God would preserve His people and the Davidic line despite their rebellion; He provided this prophecy as a sign of that assurance.
There is ongoing debate about whether Isaiah’s prophecy had a single fulfillment in Christ or a dual fulfillment. Some scholars suggest that it was partially fulfilled in Isaiah’s time, perhaps through a young woman who married, conceived naturally, and bore a son as a near-term sign, with its ultimate fulfillment occurring in the virgin birth of Christ. Others argue that the prophecy was exclusively fulfilled in Jesus’ birth. Whether the prophecy has a near and far fulfillment or not, it is cerain that Isaiah 7:14 finds its ultimate and sure fulfillment in Christ (Matthew 1:23).
The virgin birth, realized in Jesus, demonstrates God’s unwavering faithfulness to His promises. This fulfillment assures believers of His reliability in all things (Joshua 1:5; Psalm 46:1; John 14:1-3; Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:5; Revelation 21:4). God is always faithful to His Word as this miraculous fulfillment of prophecy proves.
The King’s Birth Included A Miraculous Desire (1:23b)
Matthew 1:18–25 reveals that while God is transcendent in His glory, far above us, He is also near to us in His grace. He is “Immanuel,” meaning “God is with us” (v. 23). Take a moment to reflect on who it is that promises to be with you: this is the God who spoke the universe into existence, who reigns over all creation—every star in the heavens, every towering mountain, every grain of sand, the sun and moon, the vast oceans, and the barren deserts. The God whom countless angels worship and praise unceasingly, the God whose glory is beyond imagination and whose holiness surpasses all understanding. This glorious, holy, and infinite God is with you.
And if Him being with you and me isn’t stirring you then maybe this truth will, The King’s birth included a miraculous desire! God wants to be with us! This awesome and breathtaking God loves us and wants us to be with Him. This is a truth found in the first two chapters of Genesis as Adam and Eve enjoyed an unhindered relationship with Him before their rebellion. The LORD made them and us in His image so that we could relate to Him (Genesis 1:26-27; John 4:24; Romans 8:16)! Instead of giving up on us as a human race or as individuals, His love for us propelled Him to send His Son into the world to save all who would believe in Him from their sins (John 3:16).
Christ became poor for our sakes, so that we might become rich through His poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). He left the riches and splendor of heaven for a smelly stable, poverty, rejection, mockery, torture, and death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8). His life and death made our miraculous birth into the family of God possible! When we turn from our sin and to Him in belief, we are made right with God and are adopted into His family (Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:3-8). Again, the means by which our Triune God made salvation for us possible and wrapping our minds around it nearly impossible but why He did it is even more humbling and demanding of our adoration.
The Deliver of Genesis 3:15 would restore what was lost in Eden. We lost the enjoyable privilege of being in God’s presence and enjoying an unhindered relationship with Him! This intimacy of Eden is restored through Christ’s agony on the cross. And yet, Jesus’ love for the Father and us compelled Him to suffer and die so that one day, He might be with us (John 14:1-3) and us with Him (Revelation 21:3-4)! On top of all the joy that awaits us in eternity, please know that our Daddy is looking forward to having all His children home (Ephesians 1:5)!
Wow! Stop and think on this truth! The God of the universe in the person of God the Son humbled Himself by becoming human, obedient to death on the cross, so that we might be made right with God – not because we desired it with Him but because He desired it with us first! He wanted to become human so we humans could be at home with Him forever!
The King’s Miraculous Birth Into Our World Makes Our Miraculous Birth into God’s Family Possible!
Concluding Thoughts
Honestly, I can’t sum this passage up and call you to action any better than Oswald Chambers does in his devotional for December 25 in My Utmost for His Highest. Here is the devotional he wrote for Christmas Day.
We get to go to Him because He came to Us!
The miracle child, the Messiah entered our world as a humble baby. His miraculous conception, mission accomplished, fulfillment of prophecy, and desire allows us to be with Him for all eternity because He first left His throne to be with us. His miraculous birth makes our miraculous birth into God’s family possible.
Yet, for us to experience this amazing future we must first allow Him to come into our lives. Have you allowed your personal life to become a Bethlehem for Him, the King and by doing so become a child of God through the miracle of being spiritually raised to life (John 3:7; Titus 3:4-7)? If not will you respond today by making room for Him to enter into your life? If yes, go here.
As a believer, may we allow the teaching of the incarnation, of God becoming human and making His home among us stir our hearts to worship. May we allow these verses in Matthew to rekindle our childlike wonder for Christmas, not for non-essentials but the wonder of how God entered into our world through the virgin birth sacrificing in everything so that we could be with Him forever. Church we are loved with a perfect love by a perfect God may the Holy Spirit help us love Him with an ever growing and pure love.
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